kt is a ballhag alright, but at least he is a black hole for inside game, not like mobley - the outside ballhag, keep shotting the never-goes-in-3 pointer!!
The KT cuts while Ming had the ball were definitely by design IMO. Very nice plays. Going back to the thread's title- here's what it comes down to IMO: a. KT is not the end all answer at PF in the long term. b. Of our 3 PFs, Griffin is the only one with the "potential" to be the long term answer, but is also the furthest away from being it now. The KT FGA. Maybe it's being overplayed, but his FG% (43%) is not that good for a PF, and Griffin/Taylor shooting poorly as well is not a justification for KT taking shots he shouldn't be taking. He's averaging more turnovers than anyone not named Steve or Cuttino, mainly because he's trying to force things when he should defer to Yao, Steve, or an open man. With that in mind, KT is moveable if a trade makes it worth your while. But you don't move him unless it's worth your while. P.S. hp-I don't recall seeing KT at the 3 that last 3 or so games. Do you think Rudy has abandoned it, or that it's only temporary due to Rice's good shooting?
Ok ealier in the year, I wanted to SEE where this amazing KT Defense was. In the game against the Lakers where Fox was KTs primary watch. Fox went for 9 points and shot 45 percent Next game Suns....Marion crushed him for 27 points and shot 55 percent. Next game Blazers and Pippen....12 points on 57 percent shooting. Following game Jamison was his man......21 points and 42 percent shooting. Off the top of my head over the next few games I know that Elton Brand was ABUSING him on O. ABSOLUTELY embarassing him. Only when Mo Taylor came in did Brand slow down. Whos assignment was Lewis and Mason in the last game that they were killing us also. Dear God I almost forgot how pitiful KT looked as he tried to Guard Finley on occasions. I assume this is why he only logged 15 minutes against the Mavs. He was nowhere near quick enough to challenge Finley on the perimeter or defend the drive and nowhere tall enough to guard Dirk anywhere on the floor. And never in any game do I look at KT's D and think.....yeah hes playing some serious D. About the only thing KT does well on D is strip the ball from a posting player. Thats it. I dare anyone to ACTUALLY watch KT's rotation when we are in Zone.....its non existant.....literally non existant. When we are in Man to man is the only time his D is up to par. But He is still to small to guard the big PF's. and doesnt guard from the perimeter well enough against the hot shooting SF's. Hes afraid to step out in the perimenter (which is why teams SF's seem to have their best shooting nights against us) and teams just simply take the open 15 footer. How is it that Mo T's last full year he averaged almost 6 boards a night and hes a pathetic rebounder, but KT in all but the same amount of minutes this year is averaging 6.5 and he is a terrific rebounder? Go figure. But the one play that culminates my entire frustration with KT is this one. KT out at the three point line. Yao in the left block, man is fronting him. So there are two defenders between KT and Yao but NO ONE behind Yao (everyone else cleared out as soon as they saw the front on Yao) and a FREE pass to the basket. All he had to do was lob it over two defenders. Instead it was hold hold hold hold hold....jab jab jab, pump pump pump spin spin spin, turnover. Im not opposed to KT, just selfish stupid basketball.
I think Eddie got benched because of his lack of offense and not for his bad defense...he's a liablity on the offensive end...to me, everytime EG is in the game, our defense becomes so much better because no one will be able to drive on us (not as much anyways). I do admit that I probably do overlook some of kenny's intangables partly because of a few of his boneheaded plays in a game. I really would want MoT to have more opportunities to play with Yao, I think we'll see that in the near future once MoT gets rolling again...KT doesn't seem to blend in with the team very well offensively...he just sticks out too much to play that many minutes.
The simple truth is that KT, for all his faults, is still playing the best out of our 3 PFs. Until MoT, or EG start playing better. KT is our best bet. Now, that does not mean that I would not trade one of them around the deadline if their were any takers. The only one I would not trade would be EG. KT or MoT, one of them must go. DaDakota
<blockquote><hr>Originally posted by NIKEstrad P.S. hp-I don't recall seeing KT at the 3 that last 3 or so games. Do you think Rudy has abandoned it, or that it's only temporary due to Rice's good shooting? <hr></blockquote> Rice's move to starting lineup was one game removed from Eddie's benching. Right?? Kenny seems to be guarding 3 positions still. He definitely was covering Rashard in the 4th. I don't think you can write in Kenny anywhere. His defensive assigment is based on who else is on the floor. He even guards the center. His offensive assignment seems to always draw a power forward unless Mo is matched with him. I don't think it was ever Rudy's plan to move KT back to power forward as a starter. This was forced upon us due to EG and Mo's production. Don't you think??? I anticipate Mo eventually being able to play up to his standards and allowing KT to move back to small forward more. The big question is how long will it take Eddie to mature. He shows zero improvement over last year, imso. Are we looking at a 4 yr project like Jermaine? Or are we looking at someone who will never be an NBA power forward, thus we have to wonder how Boki and Eddie will fit as a small forward tandem??? Many questions arise by Eddie's lack of offensive improvement and continued abuse by strong power forwards.
kenny thomas is the sorriest player alive!!!!! that boy stinks! he ruins the offense for the rockets......he looks more lost than yao did in his first game! i would trade kenny thomas for john crotty!!! i dont care if hes retired.......hes better than kenny thomas!!
People need to realize that just because EG can block shots, that does not make him a good defensive player. You can be a good defensive player without blocking shots. Its about moving your feet laterally, staying in between your man and the basket and making your man work for all his shots. EG does not do this. Francis does not do this. Taylor does not do this. Moochie does not do this. Mobley does it on occasion, but not nearly enough. Yao is coming along, but still has a ways to go. Hawkins and Thomas are the only ones who really come close IMO. Remember, offense isnt everything. KT's a better shooter, passer and defensive player than EG. I have no problem with him starting over EG and I would be scared to see where our team would be this year if not for some of his contributions.
I understand where you're coming from...but in most cases for big men, if you are a great shot blocker, you tend to be a great defensive player. Name me one big man who's a great shot blocker and not a good defender? (maybe Eaton, but he's a different type of defender..he's just damn tall). For small guards, there is not much correlation with shot blocking and defense, but for big guys I think its just the opposite. Lets look at Motumbo and Olajuwon. They are great defenders because they do a great job of projecting the goal...no one would dare to come inside in their primes. They are not really well known for their one on one or positioning defense, but they are GREAT GREAT team defenders...the ability to slide, help out your teammates, and protect your goal (while guarding your own man) is an extremely rare quality to have...not too many people have griffin's ability to do this.
Not to interrupt but Mark Eaton, while offensively challanged was a two time NBA Defensive Player of the Year..He was also tall.
Chen, I see where you are coming from with the big men theory. However, I feel your theory only applies to big bigmen (i.e. centers/7 foot + players like Robinson, Eaton, Mutombo, etc. who are expected to block shots just because they are so much taller than everyone). Power forwards I dont think can be included in this because not all 4s are shot blockers. In fact, very few are. Look at Charles Oakley, Rick Mahorn, Karl Malone and Dennis Rodman for example. Not really shot blockers. But great man defenders in the sense that they make their men work for their shots by being physical with them. KT is physical with his man to a point, EG isnt. And if what I just said is true, if EG does develop the ability to be a great man defender (lateral movement, physicality, making his man work to get a shot off) then he will have a very unique distinction of being a 4 who is not only a good man defender but also a great shot blocker. So much potential Eddie has. Im rooting for him. Mutombo and Olajuwon are indeed good examples. But take it a step further and include Eaton. Neither Eaton or Mutombo have great lateral movement and neither could steal the ball like Olajuwon could. Hakeem is almost in a class by himself IMO. And the term "team defenders" that you used is a great one. Bigtime shot blockers get alot of swats on people they arent even matched up with (i.e. weakside blocks, help out defense, etc.). So I think its hard to call a shot blocker a great defender (look at the Yao/Bradley matchup ....when Bradley had to guard someone who is as tall as he is, then he got torched ....against smaller players ...Bradley swats alot of shots ...see what im sayin? ...in reality ...Bradley is a good shot blocker but not a good defender). Maybe the more appropriate term would be "great intimidators" (i.e. they change shots with their shot blocking presence)?
I learn something new every day I did not know he was the NBA Defensive player of the year...I just remembered Eaton holding Hakeem very well because of his length..
ZZ, Ahhhh! I love Mark Eaton. The only Jazz player I could say that about. I loved watching Hakeem get creative when trying to score on him. Eaton is the only player I can remember who held Hakeem, errrr ...Akeem, under 10 points on several occasions. Man mountain Mark is long forgotten in the discussions of great defensive centers. I am of the strong opinion, that Eaton might be the only player in history who might be able to stop Shaq with any sort of consistency.
<blockquote><hr>Name me one big man who's a great shot blocker and not a good defender? <hr></blockquote> ChenZhen, Cato is a shotblocker that was not a good defender. It's called going for everything wrecklessly. Kirilenko has lost his starting position. LaFrentz is a good shotblocker, yet isn't an intimidator. Something is up with Gasol, because his "great defense" hasn't won them anything. I think what you are trying to say is that great shotblockers make their team a better defensive unit, because people can cheat. Kenny by no means is that type of defender. He holds down his responsibility and his zone and is quick and alert enough to help...like the shared Sabonis block with Griffin to secure a win, but he does not allow a coach to steer offensive players into him. Griffin has the "potential" to do this, but right now, he can't hold his own man, so what few "help" blocks he gets are not enough.
Yeah I agree codell, EG does not have the physicality yet compared to other great defensive PF's you mentioned. His potential is unbelievable once he gets a little bigger and stronger...He's not there yet, and won't get there in a few years (I hope).... Come to think of it, his blocking ablity and his game is similar to Theo Ratliff's...and Theo's a great shot blocker but I wouldn't say he's the greatest defender (Just above average)...I see your point more clearly now...I just hope he gets alot stronger and more physical and get out of his Theo Ratliff frame...
Do y'all remember at the beginning of the season when Rashard Lewis wanted to play elsewhere, and Sonics would consider trading him to the Rockets if Eddie Griffin was involved? And when the Rockets broke off their interest because they didn't want to lose Eddie, do y'all think we made a mistake there?
